They sow themselves, growing from seeds that have freeloaded here by gravity and gusts of wind. Self-seeders are untamed and uninvited, and as they grow without human intervention, they are often subject to control or eradication by the established order. A selection of the work of three generations of women artists featured in the exhibition evokes the associations of independence, determination and toughness encapsulated in nature. 

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The exhibition opens with prints by Teresa Jakubowska, which tell intimate stories from the life of the artist, born in Vilnius in 1930, including her experiences of war, expulsion and life in the post-war and socialist reality. She got married at a young age, and her marriage ended after barely nine years. She raised her children alone and bravely decided to move home and pursue her profession. Carved in wood or linoleum, the artist’s observations and reflections highlight women’s daily contributions: caring for others, nurturing relationships, and fighting for the right to equal self-determination. 

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Women’s determination and courage are also depicted in the works of Ala Savashevich. As an element of armour used for self-defence, the shields symbolise vigilance in the face of incoming blows, but also a state of readiness to repel them. Savashevich’s creations are made by using the technique of straw inlaying, creating a camouflage pattern with different types of flowers blooming in between. Today, shields are only used by uniformed services around the world to quell riots and protests. This is why the roses, tulips, orchids and lilies in Savashevich’s cycle are associated with the flowers held by demonstrators already from the 1960s as part of the opposition to the Vietnam War to the mass protests in Belarus in 2020 against Lukashenko’s regime and the brutality of the police. An important role in these events was played by the mass actions of Belarusian women, who expressed their disagreement without resorting to violence, thus creating a sense of solidarity in Belarusian society. 

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Monika Drożyńska calls herself a ‘die-hard embroiderer’ who skilfully combines a technique associated with ornamentation with the role of an activist involved in social projects. Her text embroideries can be found in the form of slaps, lurking in the corners of the urban fabric, or as small acts of vandalism, embroidered on the headrests of Polish Railways. Her feisty works are the result of a cultivated distance, often addressing political issues and challenging the established order to make room for what provokes emotion, discomfort and dissent. In her work, the artist analyses the role of language, which can be both inclusive and exclusive, creating divisions and animosities. Language shapes and changes our reality, so it is important to fight for the ability to speak freely, without discipline and subordination. The word ‘nature’ is feminine in most languages, usually evoking connotations of motherhood and fertility, but its moisture and tenderness can also shift the gaze from mother to lover. This is also the theme of ‘The Gospel to the Hags’, which was to be performed in the production of the play ‘Heksy’ [‘Hags’] by Agnieszka Szpila at the Dramatic Theatre in December 2023. Hags, the counterparts of the witches from Szpila’s novel, are women who have made a pact with the Old Maid and make love with nature as part of rituals, becoming advocates of a new kind of eroticism – eco-sexuality. Drożyńska employs fabric, a soft and expansive material, in contrast to the rigidity that symbolises both patriarchal power hierarchies and the rigidity of art canons.

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Continuing the theme of eroticism, Helena Minginowicz’s latest canvases blossom with buttocks, bottoms and rumps arched, glistening with sweat, with swollen breasts, nipples more or less rebelliously slipping from lace restraints. The bodies in Minginowicz’s paintings resist imposed standards of beauty, deriving satisfaction from their naturalness and, despite all the shame and prudery, waiting for fulfilment and self-love. Minginowicz also captures simple scenes from everyday life. In the piece ‘Wyczyść stół!’ | ‘Clear the table!’ she highlights the objectification of those who take on the role of nurturers and caretakers in the domestic sphere, tasked with to cleaning and cooking. A feast for some often comes at the cost of an extra job for others, a duty that consumes time that should be devoted to rest and pleasure. Our bodies are curious, living instruments of cognition, but also transmitters and receivers. Minginowicz observes the emotions and behaviours revealed by the body that our psyche carefully hides from the world. The micro-worlds painted by the artist are projections that we often suppress and block for fear of being labelled inappropriate, ridiculous or naive. Constellations of experiences and emotions eventually find an outlet, crawling out of the body with or without our consent. Minginowicz traces moments of liberation from the shackles of control, brief instances of demystification that expose our desires and hidden weaknesses. 

 

The narratives presented in the exhibition speak of women’s burgeoning strength, resilience and awareness of the need to constantly strive to realise and transform themselves. Not to resist difficulties, emotions, rebellions and pleasures. Experiences, even the difficult and unpleasant ones, shape sensitivity, nourish intuition, emotionality and a creative attitude. The need to express these values is deeply rooted in many women artists, who are in constant need of natural development. Stifling intuition, humility and stagnation are against their nature. Thus, in full readiness for the new, in fear of atrophy, even the slightest breeze is seen as a reason for action, self-determination and blossoming.

 

Curator: Katarzyna Piskorz